Pub Drinks
by DD Agent
Summary: Sequel to Photos. Ros decides to get a straight answer out of Malcolm about their relationship. Ros Malcolm with a little RH angst


Spooks: Pub Drinks by DD Agent 

Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me; all of them belong to Kudos and the BBC

Spoilers: Up to Season 5's Episode 7.

This is a sequel I wrote to Photos on my spooks fan fiction marathon. I think I wrote this during French (very boring lesson). Hope you like. Oh, and Kudos, bring back Ruth! The series only has Harry, Malcolm and Ros to make it interesting!

For really good season 2 and 5. 05 screen caps go to

and R at your leisure.

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Six days had passed since Ros had asked Malcolm out for a drink. Ever since he had kind of brushed her off, he had been avoiding her like the plague. They had to talk to each other, they worked together. But apart from work talk it was silence between them. The worst thing was that they had never had this problem with their relationship. Before Ruth had been forced to leave, they had just been work colleagues. But the incident at the embassy had secured their friendship.

Ros liked Malcolm. He was kind, friendly, a bit of a posh git sometimes but had a wonderfully gentle side to him. He was smart and very sympathetic. She had never felt like this. Even kissing Adam at her first meeting with the team had never delivered anything like this. Malcolm made her feel normal, less spook like. She liked a man who could do that.

At the moment, Ros sat at her desk doodling on a pad, watching the world go by. The present intelligence analyst m…something passed by, and gave the platinum blonde a nod. She was number 4, and was so far holding her own against Harry and his tyrant of abuse. But, like all the previous analysts, she would eventually go.

Harry was in his office, doing paperwork over a glass of scotch. The cleaners had come to Adam to tell him that they had found three empty bottles of scotch in there one day. Their commander in chief was slowly going off the rails. Adam was at home, taking care of Wes. And probably screwing the nanny. Ros had never met Fiona, but not even 'super cool' Adam Carter could resist eye candy on tap. Zaf had gone out drinking early with a few friends, and Jo had taken a few days leave to visit her mother.

The only people on the actual grid was Malcolm and Ros. Harry didn't count, he was busy drowning his sorrows over a glass of some alcohol. Braving the space and the silence between them, Ros crossed over to Malcolm's desk.

"Hi Malcolm," Ros announced, getting the nearest chair and bringing it over to sit down.

"Hello Ros," Malcolm mumbled, playing with a portable photo printer. Looking around, Ros could see a scattering of photographs and a leather bound album sitting on his desk.

Noting the inquisitive look in her eyes, Malcolm decided to reveal all. He raised himself out of his seat to check on Harry's position, and, when reassured he was in his office, beckoned her over.

"I'm making a photo album of pictures of Ruth and us spooks, old and new, for Harry's birthday next week," Malcolm explained. He stuck a picture of Adam and Wes from the dog track on a page and smoothed it over. He then placed the photo album and the pictures in the locked draw of his desk.

"Why do you do it here?" Ros asked. It seemed a weird place to do it, with Harry staying ever so late and able to spy on his surprise birthday present.

"Here, I can remember who they were. Where their desks used to be, what beverage they had first thing in the morning," Malcolm responded, double locking the draw.

Ros sat up and saw that Harry was now having a very animated conversation with Juliet. She knew that it was her because he kept saying her name amidst a bunch of curses.

Realising that Malcolm was about to leave, Ros placed her hand on his and laced their fingers together. His expression told Ros all she needed to know: he liked her back.

"Why didn't you want to come for a drink with me Malcolm?" Ros asked, keeping her tone even. She was worried that he wouldn't answer, leave her hanging. But he cleared his throat and gave her the desired explanation.

"Because, as much as I like you Ros, I can never forget what your father and Michael Collingwood did. Colin was the best friend I have ever had, and his death is ruled as a suicide. Those 6 agents humiliated him and they hanged him. As much as I would love to go for a drink with you in a pub somewhere, I can never forget. I'm sorry," Malcolm finished. He gently unlocked their fingers and walked towards the pods.

To Ros, it was like a stab to the heart. She hadn't known Colin, probably never even met him. She didn't understand why Malcolm was punishing her for it, Ros had never even knew what her father was planning. An arm slipped around her shoulder that belonged to Harry.

"Let's take you home Rosaline," Harry stated, and Ros was surprised his breathe didn't stink of booze. He obviously hadn't been drinking as much as they had all thought. Or he had bought some breathe mints.

"What did Juliet want?"

"I don't know. After two minutes listening to her ranting, I slipped on one of Ruth's CDs she left behind," Harry chuckled and escorted Ros out of the grid. Away from the ghosts of the past.


End file.
